BELLADERE, HAITI - Pine Grove Bible Church€¦ · BELLADERE, HAITI CACHIMAN & MATEGOUASSE CHILD...

1 HAITI | YEAR END REPORTFOOD FOR THE HUNGRY CANADA

PREPARED BY

FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY (FH) HAITI

& FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY (FH) CANADA

BELLADERE, HAITICACHIMAN & MATEGOUASSE

CHILD FOCUSED COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION 2018 YEAR END PROGRESS REPORT


INTRODUCTION

Food for the Hungry (FH) Haiti’s Child Focused Commu-

nity Transformation (CFCT) model is a multi-year program

aimed to give families the hope, resources, and support

they need to care for the most vulnerable members of

their community, especially their children. FH Cana-

da supports two communities in the Belledere region of

Haiti—Cachiman and Mategouasse—located midway

along the country’s border with the Dominican Republic.

Program activities reach more than 300 and 250 house-

holds in Cachiman and Mategouasse, respectively. By

empowering families to identify and address their priority

needs, create economic opportunities for families to gen-

erate income, build assets and promote healthy behav-

iours including the practice of basic preventative care,

FH is responding to the greatest needs in the community

including food insecurity, high maternal and child mor-

tality rate, high level of gender-based violence and child

abuse, and low literacy rate.

In the second half of the fiscal year, FH Haiti saw tremen-

dous enthusiasm continue around keyhole gardens. The

community members in both Cachiman and Mateguasse

continue to embrace the gardens as a critical source of

nutrition and vibrant source of income.

Unfortunately, one Savings and Loans group experi-

enced the tragedy of having their savings box stolen

along with half of the group’s savings. This devastating

event halted the group’s meetings for three months as FH

responded with a new savings kit and two cows gifted to

the group to help them reestablish the money they had

lost. The group has resumed meetings, however, this inci-

dent has made other community members wary of joining

a group.


EDUCATION

Government provided education in rural Haiti is vir-

tually non-existent. Communities are expected to

construct their own school facilities at which time the

government will supply teachers. With extremely high

levels of poverty such an undertaking for the commu-

nity is unthinkable. As a result, in small communities

many privately run schools crop up that are often op-

erated by the local church. Unfortunately, the pastor,

who serves as both administrator and teacher, is not

trained to teach children. His only option is to gather

students in the church building which is not equipped

or supplied for that level of education. While these ef-

forts are often noble, in many cases collecting school

fees from families is the pastor’s only source of in-

come. This conflict of interest often results in subpar

education and care for the children.

Such private schools have been the only option for the

families of Cachiman and Mategouasse until FH be-

gan to work with these communities. In 2016 a nation-

al school was started with an initial three-classroom

building constructed in Cachiman. Now with over 250

students from Kindergarten to Grade 5, each of the

three classrooms is shared by two grades and accom-

modates over 80 students per room. Teachers are paid

by the government but often are not well trained in

teaching methods. FH has been providing teacher

training to try to increase the quality of education

offered at the national school, as well as at some of

the private schools. Cachiman is in desperate need of

more classrooms. FH is cur-

rently seeking a funder to

make this happen as soon

as possible.

In Mategouasse, FH has

partnered with the local

Catholic church to improve the quality of education for

the families of this community. This year FH complet-

ed the construction of an elementary school consist-

ing of nine classrooms and contracted with the church

to provide well-trained teachers and an administrator

to operate the school. The school opened registration

The new school in Mategouasse opens to students.

THE NEW SCHOOL IN

MATEGOUASSE OPENS TO STUDENTS

The new school in Mategouasse viewed from the neighbouring field.


in September for Kindergarten and Grade 1 students.

There are currently 45 students in these two grades.

Over age children who have never attended school

were also admitted. Thirty children between the ages

of 10 and 12 are looking forward to attending their

special classes in January.

Despite some delays due to a last-minute nationally

required upgrade to the roof design, security wall and

latrines were completed before the start of the school

year. Four classrooms have been painted and equipped

with chalkboards, student benches, desks, and chairs

for the teachers. The remainder of the painting as well

as grading the surrounding property and playground /

sports field are pending. FH is looking forward to initi-

ating a school garden to supplement student nutrition

and enhance academic achievement.

With the start of the new academic year school kits

were purchased for about 730 children from both Ca-

chiman and Mategouasse. Distribution is scheduled

for October. Each kit is comprised of one binder, six

notebooks, three blue pens, three pencils, three eras-

ers, three sharpeners, one glue, and one box of draw-

ing pencils.

Children’s clubs (three in Mategouasse and one in Ca-

chiman) continued to meet throughout the year assist-

ing children with basic academics and emphasizing

biblical principles of conduct and good citizenry. Club

monitors or leaders are volunteers who are trained

and regularly coached by FH staff.

Girls and boys received helpful school kits that will help them learn this current school year.

The new school in Mategouasse holds its first Kindergarten class.

A children’s club fills up an old school classroom.FH staff training children’s clubs volunteer leaders.


Making use of the Cascade group methodology, FH

Haiti continues to promote good health and hygiene,

illness identification, and referral services through 50

Leader Mothers. Training sessions were conducted in

acute respiratory infection, exclusive breastfeeding,

nutrition and the prevention of malnutrition, hygiene

of the environment, importance of vitamin A and Al-

bendazole for children from zero to five years, and

prevention of diarrhea. An FH staff member meets

with the Leader Mothers twice a month; this year 10

topics were covered. It is estimated that 310 house-

holds are being reached with these messages, which

is an increase of 16 from mid year. Since the ideal de-

mographic for membership in the Cascade groups is

pregnant and breastfeeding women the groups grow

each time the Leader Mothers hear of a new preg-

nancy.

Model homes is another method of reaching the com-

munities with important health and hygiene practices.

Training and follow-up visits for the established mod-

el homes (69 in Cachiman and 20 in Mategouasse)

continued throughout this year. Topics emphasized

were environmental hygiene, handwashing, impor-

tance of the key elements of a model home (a dedi-

cated kitchen area, clean property around the home,

HEALTH

Training Leader Mothers.

A Leader Mother facilitates a Cascade group meeting, reviewing good health practices.

Teaching sanitation practices to local high school students.

Demonstrating the use and convenience of a “tippy tap” handwashing station.


tippy tap used for hand

washing, and a pit la-

trine), and water treat-

ment.

In Mategouasse, espe-

cially in the mountainous

parts, residents contin-

ue to build and maintain their keyhole gardens. FH

conducted training sessions for 37 new households

in how to build and maintain a keyhole garden (20

in the second half of the year) and all of these have

now built their own gardens. FH is excited to report

that most households able to build a keyhole garden

have now done so! Cachiman and Mategouasse both

are close to having one keyhole garden per family. In

the last half of the year FH focused on rehabilitating

older keyhole gardens that had fallen into disrepair;

36 were rehabilitated, mostly in Cachiman.

Two more mobile clinics were conducted in the sec-

ond half of the year for a total of four for the year.

Mobile clinics are conducted in partnership with the

Belladere Hospital and allow the Cachiman and Mat-

egouasse residents obtain access to medical care

within a very short walking distance walk. A total of

1,532 patients including adults and children attend-

ed the mobile clinics this year.

LEADER MOTHERS ARE TAKING VITAL HEALTH LESSONS INTO SCHOOLS AND HOMES.

A mobile clinic helps administer vitamins and other sup-plements to the community, as well as host check-ups.

Demonstrating the construction of a keyhole garden with a team visiting from Canada.


FH provided quarterly training to the two field facilitators

to empower them to better assist and support local farmers.

These facilitators, together with the agriculture technician

(ag tech), play an important role in making follow-up visits

on the activities of Lead Farmers and other local farmers.

To ensure the continuity of the farmer training centre in Mat-

egouassse FH organized a monthly training session with the

25 Lead Farmers. The farmers were trained by the ag tech

and went on to share their new knowledge with about 203

local farmers. In addition to the topics of soil preparation,

planting techniques, composting, and preparation of natu-

ral fertilizers and pesticides covered in the first half of the

year, the second half of the year covered the topics of trans-

planting, weeding, watering, and hoeing. Thanks to these

trainings, local farmers don’t have to spend their money on

chemicals and pesticides. FH field staff continue to make su-

pervisory visits in order to ensure that the farmers continue

best practices.

FH established four Farmer Field School groups this year

(three in Mategouasse and one in Cachiman) with an aver-

age of 25 farmers per group. Under the supervision of the ag

tech, the groups studied the production of black beans. After

the harvest, all the farmers agreed that the way they used

to grow black beans was not as good. By implementing new

techniques of soil

preparation, plant-

ing density, and

timing of watering

and weeding their

production and the

health of the plants

was improved. They

are looking forward to the next planting season to implement

the new planting techniques in their own gardens.

FH supported farmers with improved seeds and livestock to

increase their crop yield and diversify their livelihood assets.

The seeds provided included black beans and peanuts. Be-

fore receiving seeds, recipients attended training in produc-

tion of that seed and field visits were made to ensure that

each of the recipients has appropriate land to plant the

seeds. In addition to the 100 households in Mategouasse

that received black bean seeds and the 50 Cachiman house-

holds that received peanut seeds in the first half of the year,

26 Mategouasse households received seeds in the second

LIVELIHOODS

The demonstration crops in Mategouasse are an excel-lent way to teach farmers about new crops and methods.

Recipients of seeds (some being new crop varieties to the region).

TRAINING FOR FARMERS IS POPULAR. WORKSHOPS ARE WELL-ATTENDED THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.


half of the year from the prior year’s beneficiaries through

the pay-it-forward model.

Twenty eight families received goats in the last six months.

Three more families received a pay-it-forward cow bringing

the total for the fiscal year to 15. Both groups were provided

with training in animal care.

Cachiman and Mategouasse benefited from a veterinary

clinic at the beginning of August. Community members trav-

eled in large numbers to vaccinate or deworm their animals

free of charge. More than 600 animals, mostly cows, pigs,

and goats, were dewormed or vaccinated against teschen,

blackleg (Anthrax), and porcine plague. The clinics were an

opportunity for the 19 volunteer Community Animal Health

Workers (CAHWs) to put into practice what they learned

A farmer in Mategouasse receives a cow. Cachiman hosted a veterinary clinic for local farming fam-ilies to have livestock checked and learn animal care tips.

through various training sessions over the past few years

with support from the FH vet technician. The plan is to con-

duct such clinics once per year in each of the two commu-

nities.

Savings and Loans groups continue to be the residents’ fa-

vourite activity. There are officially 13 Savings groups, how-

ever, three groups are experiencing difficulty getting a new

cycle started as some members have dropped out. An FH

staff member continues to work with these groups and is

beginning to see new individuals showing interest in join-

ing. The other 10 groups boast a total of 249 active mem-

bers (152 women, 97 men). They continue to save money

and take loans as FH continues to provide encouragement

and technical support. Altogether, they have saved 639,306

HTG ($11,654 CAD) for their current cycle (each group has

LIVELIHOOD SUMMARY

ACTIVITY Cachiman Mategouasse TOTAL

Lead Farmers trained 15 25 40

Trainings for Lead Farmers 4 12 16

Local Farmers trained by Lead Farmers 58 75 105

Farmers trained in Farmer Field School approach 25 145 203

Keyhole Gardens constructed 7 30 37

Goats distributed via Pay-It-Forward model 26 25 51

Cows distributed via FH 0 15 15

Households that received seeds via FH 50 100 150

Households that received seeds via Pay-It-Forward model 0 26 26

Visits to farming families by FH staff 70 110 180

Students trained in tree nursery 15 0* 15

*planned for next year


a different 12 month period) Seventy nine members had tak-

en loans at the end of September for business purposes for a

total amount loaned of 316,325 HTG ($5,766 CAD).

Two of the Savings groups just completed a cycle and reo-

pened another one and the transition went smoothly. One

of the new groups established earlier this year named “Se

devan nap pike” (in English: Always Ready to Go) had an

unfortunate incident where their savings box was stolen

with half of the group’s total savings (about $1,600 CAD).

Because of this incident the group’s activities and meetings

halted for more than three months. FH supplied another

Savings kit and two cows to the group to help them recoup

their lost savings. The group restarted their monthly meetings

mid-October. This is the first time such an incident has ever

occured in an FH Savings group in Haiti.

FH had hoped to open four new groups by fiscal year end,

however, due to the incident with the stolen box, news of

which travelled quickly throughout both communities, it was

very difficult to find community members interested in joining

a new group. The staff will continue to encourage more of

the community to become involved in a Savings and Loans

group.

Chaine d’association

Men nan men poun vanse

Nap met tet ansanm pounn fe travay la

Yon model nan Cachiman

Yon ede lot poun ka rive

Flambwayan

Espwa diven

Kole zepol

Ambasade

Je nan Je

Bouje nap bouje

Tet ansanm

Se devan nap pike

TOTAL

SAVINGS & LOANS GROUPSIN CACHIMAN & MATEGOUASSEAS AT SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

GROUP NAME

Cachiman

Cachiman

Cachiman

Cachiman

Cachiman

Mategouasse

Mategouasse

Cachiman

Cachiman

Mategouasse

Mategouasse

Cachiman

Mategouasse

COMM

UNITY

-

-

14

-

26

28

20

15

29

33

39

22

23

249

# OF M

EMBE

RS

$604

$695

$850

$1,554

$3,535

$2,718

$1,661

$11,617

-

-

19,525

-

5,500

-

39,250

80,000

51,150

36,500

50,800

84,750

-

316,325

-

-

$355

-

$100

-

$713

$1,454

-

$663

$923

1,540

-

$5,748

-

-

14

-

2

-

15

13

-

8

10

17

-

79

33,230

38,270

46,780

85,500

194,553

149,583

91,390

639,306

AMOUNT S

AVED

(

HAITIAN G

OURDES

)AM

OUNT SAV

ED

(

CAD)

LOANS G

IVEN

(H

AITIAN G

OURDES

)

LOANS G

IVEN

(

CAD)# O

F PEO

PLE

R

ECEIV

ING LO

ANS

CLOSED, NOT YET REOPENED



RECENTLY REOPENED

RECENTLY REOPENED

INTERRUPTED BY THEFTNEW

NEW

A Savings group meets to collect and tabulate their savings, and hear how business ventures are doing.

-

-

Dec 2018

-

Jan 2019

-

Mar 2019

July 2019

-

Dec 2018

Jan 2019

Oct 2018

-

12 M

ONTH C

YCLE

C

LOSE

DAT

E


Although there were no formal trainings for church or

community leaders in the second half of the year other

sector programs, such as model homes, continually

build up lay leaders within the community. This

groundwork will be important to build inclusive and

trusting community leadership going forward.

With the postponement of Cachiman’s graduation, FH

has identified community leadership as a key focus for

the next two years in order to prepare this community

for FH’s departure. FH Haiti’s program directors and

sector specialists are currently working on a strategic

plan focusing on community leaders.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

A seminar for local volunteers and leaders.


Little Caleb got sick this year, really sick. Joceline

was worried—how was she going to afford to take

her son to the hospital and still have enough mon-

ey to provide for her six other children, pay their

school fees, books, and uniforms (not to mention

daily food!).

Every year Joceline and her husband struggled

to find the money to support their seven children.

Their only sources of income were farming and

selling produce, which have not been sufficient to

take care of the family.

But two years ago, Joceline received a goat

through FH’s pay-it-forward program. In this mod-

el, recipients of FH livestock commit to giving the

first offspring to another family in need. This prac-

tice nurtures a sense of community responsibili-

ty and comradary and empowers families to help

each other get out of poverty—together. Joce-

line’s goat subsequently gave birth four times to

two kids each (that’s eight baby goats!). In 2016

and 2017 she sold five of the goats to pay for

school-related expenses for her kids.

Thankfully, she still had goats left to sell this year

to pay for Caleb’s hospital fees and send their

other children to school on time. The goats helped

them weather this unforeseen emergency without

going into debt, compromising their children’s ed-

ucation, or being forced to watch their son fail un-

der a terrible illness. As a result of coming out the

other side of this crisis, Joceline is more confident

now about the future. She knows having a few re-

maining goats and continuing to add to her herd

will help her family face future difficulties.

“Thank you FH for such support! May God keep on

blessing the work that you are doing in the commu-

nities.” - Joceline

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT

GOATS SAVE CALEB

THANK YOUFood for the Hungry (FH) Canada, along with FH Haiti and the families of Cachiman and Mategouasse, thank you for your generous support on this development journey. Lives are being transformed and a new future is being written for the children of Belladere. Thank you!

BELLADERE, HAITI - Pine Grove Bible Church€¦ · BELLADERE, HAITI CACHIMAN & MATEGOUASSE CHILD...

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